I write about Twin Spica from Vertical and Saturn Apartments from Viz’s Sigikki line. I liked one of these manga a lot and didn’t care for the other.

One thing I’m looking forward to as my kids get older (they are almost three now) is introducing them to some of the books and comics I like. Right now their reading tastes tend towards wanting to be read various Thomas the Tank Engine stories over and over again, which is fine. But I’m curious to see if they’ll eventually enjoy reading comics. I was lucky enough to snag the first three volumes of Kochalka’s Johnny Boo series at ALA and they’ve become a real hit at my house. The stories about Johnny Boo, his friend Squiggle, and their frenemy the Ice Cream Monster are simple enough to keep the attention of a three year old and fun for parents to read out loud.

The first volume introduces the little ghosts Johnny Boo and his friend Squiggle. They have debates about which is better, Boo Power or Squiggle Power. When they go to find Johnny Boo’s secret ice cream (secret ice cream is more delicious than regular ice cream) they meet an ice cream monster who claims to be friendly, but he swallows all the ice cream and Squiggle! Fortunately Squiggle’s loop-d-loops cause the monster to burp, and everyone becomes friends in the end!

The second volume deals with the stars and Johnny Boo’s flippy haircut. When his hair flips and Squiggle laughs too much, Johnny Boo proclaims that Squiggle will not be his best friend anymore. In fact Johnny Boo states “maybe this dumb old rock will be my new best friend.” Squiggle cries and he and Johnny Boo make up, but Squiggle decides to visit the stars to learn about Twinkle Power, leaving Johnny Boo alone in the dark.

The third book shows the effects of eating too much ice cream, as Johnny Boo discovers that is muscle is all floopy, but the Ice Cream Monster is strong because he has started eating happy apples. Johnny Boo tries to find the happy apples, only to run into mishaps involving mushy apples and the strangely compulsive eating habits of the Ice Cream Monster. Even when trapped in a monster’s belly, Johnny Boo and Squiggle manage to make the best of the situation, perhaps because the Ice Cream Monster’s stomach is equipped with television.

One of the things I appreciated about the Johnny Boo books was the pacing of the yelling. Frequently being able to yell things like “Boo,” “Squiggle Power Extreme,” and “Run from his butt!” does wonders for maintaining the attention of young children. If you’re reading the books to kids, you can encourage them to yell along, and I think any child will be happy to yell “Boo!” or “EEK EEK EEK!” if given any encouragement.

I figure any time my kids will independently pick up a book and demand a reading session, that’s a good sign of the book’s appeal. Johnny Boo and the Happy Apples has been a daily read for the past week, and I was interrupted when I was writing this post and had to read all three books in a row. So that was around 120 pages that my kids sat through since each book is divided up into short chapters totaling 40 pages. These books would be a no brainer to add to a kid’s graphic novel section in a library, and they’re great to have at home if you want to introduce comics to your children. The production quality from Top Shelf is nice, these are hardback books printed on nice paper stock so the illustrations look very crisp and clear.

ALA’s Direct Dispatch blog has a Save Our Library poster available for download that was drawn by the Fillbach Brothers.

Suppli Volumes 4 and 5 by Mari Okazaki

Wow, there has been a two year gap between volumes of Suppli. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that josei series simply don’t sell well here, so I’m happy with whatever I can get. I was worried that this series was going to be on permanent hiatus, so getting the next two books packaged together as an omnibus was a treat. Overworked Fujii continues to have problems juggling her stressful job at an advertising agency and her increasingly disastrous love live. At the start of the book Fujii is jotting down all the random observations of the day that she wants to share with her boyfriend Ogiwara. They are both so overworked that they never see each other, so she’s trying to keep track of all the things she wants to share with him. Unfortunately things are even worse than Fujii thinks as Ogiwara is about to be transferred overseas and he doesn’t like long-distance relationships. He dumps her, and her response is to smile and say “I’m fine. Goodbye.” She realizes after seeing his relieved expression after the break up that she doesn’t need him anymore.

Fujii takes refuge in shopping, buying “lucky” items, and hashing out the aftermath of her relationship by going out with her girlfriends. The next man on the horizon for Fujii is the arrogant photographer Sahara, who looks alarmingly like a manga version of Jermaine from Flight of the Conchords. I probably have more tolerance towards Sahara than I should because I kept thinking that he was about to burst into song. But it is too bad for Fujii, instead of dating a charmingly dim Kiwi she’s stuck with Sahara. Their first dates are not traditional dates as they each keep getting ill and end up nursing each other back to health. While they are attracted to each other, it seems like Fujii has not lost her knack for fixating on a spectacularly inappropriate man. Sahara is very talented at his job, but he seems to be a bit of a womanizer.

One of the things I like about Suppli is the general feeling of sadness that seems to settle over Fujii in quiet moments. This is chicklit with a dysfunctional heroine, and while some people might find Fujii annoying I felt sympathetic towards her. She’s consumed by her work to such a degree that she ends up placing emotional importance on shopping even though acquiring new things is an empty exercise. She’s so desperate for human contact that she ends up with the first man to show interest in her after she was dumped, and falls for him even though she knows she’s making a bad decision. Okazaki plays with layouts, showing some panels rotated 90 degrees. This ends up placing a different emphasis on the expressions and body language of the characters. Okazaki also continues to add little surreal touches that create an otherworldly feel to the more prosaic backgrounds of Fujii’s office. When Fujii and Sahara go to scout an outdoor location for a photo shoot, the scene is filled with an organic pattern instead of a defined background. The characters look as if they are about to dissolve.

It felt to me like there was a little more focus on the supporting cast in these two volumes of Suppli, with side stories detailing the lives of some of Fujii’s office mates who are dating. Even good guy Ishida has moved on, and Fujii’s new trainee doesn’t treat her mentor or her co-workers with any respect. I hope that Fujii eventually achieves some sort of work-life balance, although I’m predicting another painful breakup from Sahara before that happens. It looks like the next volume of Suppli is also going to be an omnibus and is scheduled to come out in February, so I hope the ending of the series is published.

Afterschool Charisma Volume 1 by Kumiko Suekane

My favorite Sigikki titles are Afterschool Charisma tied with House of Five Leaves. House of Five Leaves isn’t out in print format yet, but I really enjoyed the first print volume of Afterschool Charisma. Shiro’s father is a scientist, and as a result he goes to a unique private high school. All of Shiro’s classmates are clones of famous historical figures, and as the only person there with a father, Shiro stands out. The story opens as Clone Marie Curie is experiencing a crisis of faith. She’s supposed to be studying science to model herself after the original Marie Curie, but Clone Marie Curie just wants to play music. Shiro’s childish faith in his parent leads him to ask his father if Clone Marie can study music instead. Overnight it is announced that Clone Marie is going to transfer to a music school and she’s never seen again.

There’s an increasing amount of tension within the school, especially after the political assassination of their most famous graduate. New security guards patrol the halls, and the clones have trouble managing the expectations placed on them for being copies of famous people. Clone Napoleon is experiencing a growth sport and Clone Mozart is an elitist jerk. I wish the female characters were a bit less traditionally feminine but their character traits are funny, as Clone Florence Nightingale has a tendency to burst into tears and clasp people to her ample bosom. Shiro’s planted in this high school as an ordinary guy with adjustment issues, who may eventually realize that his father isn’t as benign as he thinks.

The most delightful character in Afterschool Charisma is Clone Freud, who skulks around the school observing people with his pageboy haircut tucked behind his ears. While it seems that Shiro might not really want to wake up to what’s going on in his high school, Freud is on the case doing research and then quickly filling up his computer screen with pictures of naked women if it looks like he might be observed. Clone Freud also provides an acerbic counterpoint to Shiro’s blind optimism. When Shiro mentions talking to his father too many times, Clone Freud just stands there with an unholy expression on his face saying “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” I’m looking forward to seeing if Clone Freud and Shiro eventually team up if they discover the truth behind the organization sponsoring the high school.

Suekane’s art is probably the most conventional and commercial of all the Sigikki titles. The illustrations wouldn’t look out of place in a more mainstream manga, but I think the combination of the accessible art and off-kilter high school story works well. While the hints of something sinister at the school are one plot element, Suekane adds an additional layer by showing the societal aspects of a bunch of cloned high school students. How they relate to each other individually and as a group is interesting, as Shiro turns to different friends when he needs help and towards the end of the volume observes the birth of a unique clone religion. Thinking back over the volume after reading it, it is pretty amazing what Sukane was able to pack into the first few chapters of Afterschool Charisma. I’d read this manga for Clone Freud alone, but I’m intrigued by the story and looking forward to seeing what happens to the clone teens. With so many skilled leaders and tacticians from history trapped in high school, it’ll be interesting to see what would happen to the human race if the clones finally graduate.

Stolen Hearts Volume 2 by Miku Sakamoto

I’m picking up my last volumes of CMX books with a bit of sadness, because it is a little depressing thinking of all the great series that will now be unfinished in English translation. But the over the top adorableness of Stolen Hearts provided an antidote to the CMX blues. Incredibly short Shinobu and tall giant Koguma are now going out while continuing to work at his grandmother’s kimono shop. Grandma decides to push forward the relationship by sending Shinobu a text from Koguma’s phone inviting her over to his house. Shinobu is shocked to meet the rest of his incredibly tall family, which includes three strapping older brothers. Kimono designer Miki offers to make a custom creation for Shinobu, something that he’s only done before for women he’s gone out with. Miki and Koguma become walking advertisements for the shop when they go on a New Year’s date to a shrine together dressed in kimono.

Miki keeps paying attention to Shinobu, but she remains oblivious that Koguma’s older brother might be attracted to her. Or is Miki just trying to tease his younger brother the way he always does? Even with this minor added complication, there’s no doubt in the reader’s mind that Shinobu and Koguma are meant for each other and their relationship can survive any strain. Stolen Hearts reminds me a bit of one of my favorite CMX titles, Venus in Love. Both are refreshingly angst-free, featuring stories about nice characters with a minimum of fuss. The kimono shop setting gives Sakamoto plenty of chances to draw cute outfits, and their work gives Shinobu and Koguma an additional focus that provides a counterpoint to their budding relationship. I’ll really miss not being able to read the rest of the series. Fortunately the second volume does wrap things up to an extent, so even though there isn’t a huge conclusion to the series I think the two volumes that CMX put out can be enjoyed on their own. There’s a lack of truly cute, feel-good shoujo shoujo series out there and Stolen Hearts is a great series to turn to if you need a quick dose of warm fuzzies.

Goong: The Royal Palace Volumes 1-4 by So Hee Park

I think watching a couple live action Korean dramas for my soap opera needs has caused me to be able to appreciate manhwa more. I am now greeting standard plot devices like Poor Girl Inexplicably Engaged to Emotionally Withholding Rich Boy, Sympathetic but Potentially Dangerous Second Lead Guy, and Evil Manipulative Older Woman with amused recognition instead of annoyance. Goong takes place in an alternate world where Korea still has a functioning monarchy. Chae-Kyung is an ordinary high school girl. Her school is split into two buildings. She attends the school for normal students in the old building, while the crown prince of the country Shin Lee attends class in the new building. The two students have a fateful encounter involving Shin’s slippers that ends with each of them thinking that the other is annoying. Unfortunately long before they were born their grandparents decided that the two would be engaged.

The young couple go along with the arranged marriage, and Chae-Kyung soon finds herself unprepared for dealing with the customs of the royal family and the palace intrigue that goes along with her new position. Shin informs Chae-Kyung that he’s marrying her because he’d never bring someone that he likes into the royal family. Chae-Kyung is conscious of the financial struggles of her parents and sees marrying the prince as a way of taking care of her parents. While Chae-Kyung and her prince have a tendency towards antagonism in their relationship he promises to divorce her when he’s older and help her to able to make decisions for herself if she wants to leave the palace.

Park’s art gets better as the series progresses. The first volume displays a little bit of stiffness in the character poses, and some of the gangly proportions paired with excessively pretty faces that seems to be typical of most manhwa art. Park’s chibis look more grotesque than anything else, resembling Mad Magazine caricatures with sharp elbows and prominent teeth. Chae-Kyung often slips into chibi mode when dealing with the excessive emotions of her sudden engagement. Later volumes show more fluidity in the art and less broad comedy in the illustrations.

The second volume opens with the wedding, complete with gorgeous traditional costumes. I was surprised a little bit by the pacing, as I expected that Chae-Kyung’s princess training and the wedding preparations would take a few chapters at least. After one of the many ceremonies during the long day of festivities Chae-Kyung notices her new husband doing strange facial exercises so he’ll be able to tirelessly smile at all the people that will greet them. She thinks that she wants to get to know him better. Even though he often acts like a spoiled brat, there are occasional moments where Shin seems lost in his own thoughts. Perhaps he has hidden depths? Exhausted after a grueling day, the new couple keep falling asleep together whenever they get a chance to sit down.

Complications are introduced into the palace with the return of the former crown prince Yul. Shin’s cousin attends school in Chae-Kyung’s class and seems to have a bit of a crush on his new sister-in-law. Yul’s mother is determined to better her own position and that of her son, and she’s not afraid of playing underhanded tricks get her way. Chae-Kyung seems to enjoy talking to Yul, because he relates to her as more of a peer than her autocratic husband. Chae-Kyung and Shin escape the palace and go to visit her parents. The close physical proximity to her new husband causes Chae-Kyung to start developing feelings for him.

Shin’s visit to Chae-Kyung’s home exposes him to the lives of regular people. He stares at everyone’s toothbrushes crowded together in a single cup in the bathroom and thinks that is what a family truly is. He asks Chae-Kyung what it is like to call her mother “Mom.” He starts to articulate his own wishes instead of just being the puppet that the royal family expects. One of the ways that Park mixes humor into her soap opera series is breaking the fourth wall, as Chae-Kyung frequently comments on developments in her life that are like a “girly comic.” When she meets a pack of royal cousins that look as primped and pampered as a boy band, she wonders if this is her big chance to be “one of those female characters that is loved by several pretty boys?”

The awkwardly developing relationship between Chae-Kyung and Shin is hampered by Chae-Kyung’s wondering about the continued presence of one of his female friends and her natural ease when relating to Shin’s cousin Yul. She tells Yul that she loves Shin, but comments “I get attached to people easily. If I’d met you first I might have fallen in love with you.” When Yul attempts to intervene when Shin teases Chae-Kyung too much, Shin warns him off, saying “for now she’s mine and I can do anything I want with her.” Shin tends to relate to people through a protective shell of bravado, and after seeing the cold and overly-mannered way his family interacts, it is easy to see why he turned out to be a bit of a brat.

After setting up the relationships and budding romance, volume four of the series dials up the scheming and emotional manipulation. Yul builds on his relationship with Chae-Kyung by giving her a puppy. She’s delighted to have a cute companion to care for, but how will they manage to raise a puppy in the cold and overly regimented royal palace? Yul’s mother manages to get an additional title conferred on her dead husband with the effect of raising her rank so she can move back into the palace. She’s determined to make things worse for Shin and Chae-Kyung in order to advance Yul to his former position of crown prince. Shin has to leave on a trip, and Yul’s mother pressures Chae-Kyung to stay behind.

It is easy to feel sympathy for the new royal couple. Since they’re just teenagers they don’t have the freedom to fight back against the web of manipulation that is beginning to be put in place by the royal family. Still Shin and Chae-Kyung are both stubborn enough that they might manage to thrive in their unfortunate situation. If they become allies, they might be able to attain some degree of autonomy, but their bickering way of relating to each other may keep them apart. As Chae-Kyung tries to deal with a love she thinks is one-sided, Shin shows signs of wanting to help her out and protect her. He might claim that he wants to be around her because she’s fun to tease, but she’s one of the few people in his life without a hidden agenda.

Goong: The Royal Palace didn’t start out with a perfect first volume, but the art and intricate storyline improves as the series develops. The combination of humor and modern palace intrigue makes for an interesting plot, and as Park’s artwork develops it is easy to appreciate the attention to detail she lavishes on the fashions of the royal family and the occasional portrayal of a traditional ceremony. I’m going to check out the rest of this series, I’m curious to see how the new princess Chae-Kyung manages palace life as she becomes more used to the customs of the royal family and her new husband.

We’ve been adding some new manga and review links over on Manga Views, check out the recently added reviews. Also, take some time to vote in the new poll about what manga you are most looking forward to in the fall.

We’ve had a few people stopping by to add review links, but could always use more help! Let me know if you have some time to work on adding new content to the site. Thanks!

Kobato Volume 1 by Clamp

When I got into manga again for the second time after a long absence from comics, Clamp wrote some of the series that got me addicted. I collected X/1999 like a maniac and was disappointed to find out that the series didn’t have an actual conclusion. Since then I’ve sampled many of their other series, but I don’t tend to rely on Clamp for consistent entertainment as much as I used to. While the art is gorgeous, sometimes I’m left feeling a little disappointed with their more recent work. This why I’m looking forward to the reissue of Cardcaptor Sakura more than their recent series Kobato, which seems go be designed to inspire bewilderment in the reader instead if providing entertainment.

Kobato is a homeless girl with an inexhaustible supply of cute outfits and hats. Her utter lack of understanding of human behavior seems to indicate that she’s from another world. She could be an angel or an alien, but she’s given a typical magical girl task of collecting wounded hearts in order to fulfill a vague quest. Before she can get her jar, her eternally cranky and alcohol-seeking dog Ioryogi is giving her tests on human common sense. Kobato encounters various holidays and events like dealing with rain, Christmas, and Valentine’s day. Usually in most of these tests Kobato will try to act like a human and fail in some way, receiving a limited number of points from Ioryogi. The character background is mysteriously absent, leaving Kobato and Ioryogi as blank slates for the reader without much to explain where they came from. Where is Kobato’s closet and hatboxes? How does she manage to be so perfectly accessorized while hanging out in a drainpipe? Ioryogi has an encounter with creature from his past but the “who what when where why” of the two main characters is frustratingly absent.

Hints of a supporting cast appear in the form of a young man who works at a kindergarten and his fellow teacher. He thinks that Kobato is trying to have sex for money after he witnesses her dash around frantically offering to help people “heal their hearts.” Clamp’s art is as usual very very pretty. The initial stories in Kobato appear to be so shallow and superficial that a quick read might prove frustrating to the reader. But as I was reading it I was wondering if Clamp’s storytelling has undercurrents that might be revealed in other volumes. Sure, Kobato’s main purpose seems to be to change outfits and burst into tears when her dog scolds her. But is this series buying in to the whole moe genre, or is it actually satirizing it? When a dirty old man tries to pick up Kobato, it seems like that single event might be targeting the types of readers who enjoy obsessively reading stories about sickeningly cute little girls in overly precious outfits.

I’m on the fence about this manga. There’s nothing about the overly sweet story lines that attracts me as a reader. But there are a few hints of darkness present, that if developed, might pique my interest in the future. I’ll check out the second volume before deciding to follow this series or not. It is unusual for a Clamp series not to immediately hook me on the first volume. I’m hoping that Kobato has hidden depths, but if it doesn’t not even the cutest costume changes can tempt me to read further.

I traveled a bunch in June. At least being trapped in planes let me read a few more novels than I usually manage in a month-long period. I started reading ebooks for the first time too, plowing through the Millennium Trilogy on the iPad.

Books

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn
Lay Down my Sword and Shield by James Lee Burke
Naamah’s Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers (ARC from ALA)

Manga and Graphic Novels
Library Wars: Love and War 1
Otomen #6
Toriko #1
Kimi ni Tokoke 4
Arata 2
Magic Touch 8
Flower in a Storm 1
Owly Volume 1
Agent Boo Volume 1
Portrait of M & N 2
Happy Cafe 3
Maid Sama 5
Millenium Prime Minister 1